Gate-latch.



A. J. a: w. H. RUSSELL.)

GATE LATOH. APPLIOATIOI FILED KAI. 27, 1909.

Patented July 6, 19.09.

Cir

"UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- ANDRlliW .T. RUSSELL AND WILLIAM H. RUSSELL, OF BRYAN, OHIO.

GATE-LATCH.

Application filed March 27,

To all whom it "may concern:

Be it known that we, Annnnw J. ltUssnLr. and WILLIAM H. ltussnjcn, citizens of the United States, residing at liryan, in the county of Williams and. State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Gate-Latch, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to latches for swinging gates, and its object is to provide an iniproved fornti of latch, together with a keeper therefor, and means foroperating the latch to disengage it from the keeper.

l l ith the foregoing objects in view the invention consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and. claimed, reference being had. to the drawing hereto annexed forming a part of this specification, in which drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of the gate and its operating mechanism. Fig. is a perspective view of the hinge connection. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the latch and its keeper.

In the drawing, 5 denotes the hinge post of the gate, and 6 the latch post. The gate is a swinging one, comprising end bars '7, an intermediate bar 8, and top and bottom bars 9. The bars 7 and S are connected by cross wires 10. Any other gate structure may be provided, the structure of the gate itself being immaterial to the present invention.

The hinge members of the gate comprise a rod 11 secured to the post 5 in spaced relation therewith, and eye-bolts 12 through which said rod passes, the eyc-bolts being carried by one of the end bars 7 of the gate. In the rod 11 is a series of openings 13. The gate is held. in adjusted position by passing a pin 14 through one of these openings, which pin is engageable by one of the eye-bolts 12. Upon removing the pin, the gate is free to be raised or lowered, and upon again inserting the pin in the opening corresponding to the elevation at which the gate is to he held, the same is securely held in such position. By means of this hinge connection, it will be seen that the gate may be readily raised to enable small stock to pass thereunder, and also to enable it to clear snow drifts.

The latch of the gate comprises a rockshaft 15 mounted in openings made in the posts 7 and 8, and turning freely therein. One end of the rock-sl1aft is bent to one side, and then back parallel to the shaft as indicated at 16 which is for a purpose to be presfapeeification of Letters Patent.

ently described. From the latch post 6 pro- Patented July 6, 1909.

1909. Serial No. 486,212.

ects a stem 17 provided intermediate its ends with a slot 18. At the outer end of the stem are spaced cars 19 between which the keeper is pivoted as indicated at 26. The keeper is a bar 21 which depends in a curve from the stem, and has its free end passing upwardly through the slot 18. From said end of the bar projects a pin 22 which ongages the top edge of the stem and serves as a stop to limit the dowmmrd swing of the keeper. By the hereindescribed. arrangcment of parts, a gravitat keeper is had, and it is so located that it is in the path of the end of the rock shaft projecting from the end post 7 at the free end of the gate. WV hen said projecting end of the rock shaft strikes the keeper, the latter is automatically lifted, and when the rock shaft clears the same, the keeper drops down in front thereof as shown in Fig. 3 whereupon the gate is securely held closed. To release the latch, the shaft 15 is rocked in the proper direction, whereupon the part 16 engages the keeper and swings the same upwardly on its pivot, out of the way of the projecting end of the shaft after which the gate may be opened.

The rocleshaft 15 is adapted to be actuated by the same mechanism which swings the gate open, and which mechanism will now be described. Pivotally connected to the top bar 9 of the gate, and projecting forwardly from one side thereof, is an arm 23 formed at its outer end with a plurality of openings 24. Engageable with one of these openings is one end. of a rod 25, the other end of which is connected to a crank bend 26 made in the rock-shaft 15. With one of the openings 24 is also cngageable a link 27 which may be a rod bent at one end into a hook engageable with said opening. The other end. of this link is connected to a lever 28 fulcrumed at 29 to the hinge post 5. This lever extends to one side of the gate, and is provided with a suitable handle, which may be a rope 30 carrying a ring 31, and arranged in convenient position to be grasped by a per son on horseback or in a vehicle. On the other side of the gate is located an operating lever 32 which is fulcrumed at 33 on a post 34. This lever is also provided with a suit able handle (not shown). By thus providing an operating lever for both sides of the gate, the same may be operated from either side. A loose connection is provided for the levers 28 and 32, the former carrying a stem 35 which passes loosely through an opening made in an ear 36 carried by the lever 32. The connection is a loose one, the stem 35 sliding freely in the opening of the car 36 when the levers are swung to operate the gate.

hat is claimed is:

1. The combination with a swinging gate, and its latch post, of a gravitating keeper mounted 011 the latch post, a latch comprising a rock shaft carried by the gate and having a head at one end engageable behind the keeper, and means for rocking the shaft to engage its head with the keeper to lift the same and release the gate.

2. The combination with a swinging gate, and its latch post, of a slotted stem projecting from the latch post, a keeper comprising a bar depending in a curve from the stem, and pivotaily connected thereto, the free end of the bar workin in the slot, a stop for limiting the downward swing of the bar, a latch comprising a rock shal't carried by the gate,

and having a head at one end into the path of which the keeper extends, and means for rocking the shaft to engage its head with the keeper to lift the same and release the gate.

8. The combination with a swinging gate, and its latch-post, of a gravitating keeper mounted on the latch-post, a latch comprising a rock-shaft carried by the gate, and projecting from the free end thereof, said projecting end of the shaft having an oil-set portion, and means for rocking the shaft to engage the ofl set portion with the keeper to lift the same and release the gate.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have hereto aiiixed our signa tures in the presence oi two witnesses.

ANDREW J. RUSSELL. WILLIAM H. RUSSELL.

Witnesses HAZEL GABRIEL, A. L. GEBHARD. 

